'Brag books' help pay the bills

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of stories about Cape Codders who work more than one job to string together a living.

By KATE CONWAYCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Sue Pratt lives in Sandwich with her husband, Carl, and her 12-year-old twins, Sam and Hannah.

Like many other year-round Cape Codders, Pratt's family relies on more than one income to make ends meet. Her husband is a physical therapist and she is a part-time social worker with Beacon Hospice of Fall River.

But Sue Pratt also has tapped her creativity to help keep the family afloat financially.

Often a financial necessity on the Cape, many residents hold down one "traditional" job in addition to another income-producing pursuit based on their talents.

Pratt opted to pursue her own business selling intricately embellished "brag books," so that she could reduce her workload at the hospice.

She was inspired to start her business selling the photo albums after finding they were popular with acquaintances.

"My daughter competed in gymnastics and at one of the meets, someone suggested I bring some of my mini 4-inch by 6-inch scrapbooks to sell. At the time, I just made gymnastic books because of my daughter. I made $1,000 in a few hours and realized I was on to something," Pratt said.

After her success at the gymnastics' meet, Pratt started to do brag books with different themes. She later learned about juried craft fairs, where vendors must apply and be accepted to participate.

"There was a production company on the Cape called L&R Productions, run by Linda Rogers, and I dropped off a bag of books at her store. I got a call the next day and she loved the books and encouraged me to apply to juried shows and that's how I really got started," Pratt said.

Now, when Pratt participates in a show, she displays nearly 20 different book themes and averages $1,200 in sales with a 60 percent take-home profit.

She said she averages two shows a month, already scheduled 17 shows for this year, and hopes to add more.

"I meet so many people at the craft fairs who are selling things and they also are nurses, or have other jobs, in addition to their craft careers to make money."

Pratt is also now selling her books in downtown Plymouth at a Water Street store called Lizzy Tish.

The brag books mainly pay for her children's extracurricular activities, she said, adding that it's hard for most Cape families to make ends meet with only one salary.

In the 14 years she has lived on the Cape, Pratt said, she believes it has become steadily more expensive to live here. So she has learned how to make a dollar stretch.

"I am a bargain shopper, and I find that that makes a huge difference in our budget, she said.

"I buy the furniture that has dings for a discount. My couches I got on discount because they came in only one deep cranberry color," said Pratt with a laugh. "That is another good thing about craft fairs — I can get a lot on trade.

"People at the craft fair have beautiful things that I will swap for my books — it is a great way to get gifts for people and save money in the process."

Pratt said she has seen evidence the barter and swap way of life is alive and well on the Cape. "It's a great way to make life more affordable," she said.